The Latest: Takeoffs resume at London’s Heathrow Airport

FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018 file photo, a woman waits in the departures area at Gatwick airport, near London, as the airport remains closed after drones were spotted over the airfield last night and this morning. London’s Heathrow Airport suspended flight departures as a precaution Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019 after a reported drone sighting that came just three weeks after a rash of drone sightings shut London’s Gatwick Airport. (Tim Ireland, file/Associated Press)

ByAssociated Press

January 8

LONDON — The Latest on a reported drone sighting at London’s Heathrow Airport (all times local):

6:40 p.m.

Officials at London’s Heathrow Airport say flights are being allowed to take off again after departures were suspended due to a reported drone sighting.

The announcement came roughly 90 minutes after London’s Metropolitan Police received a report about a drone sighting in the vicinity of Heathrow Airport on Tuesday.

Officials did not provide details about the suspension but said more information should be forthcoming.

Heathrow said in a statement: “Based on standard operating procedures, working with Air Traffic Control and the Met Police, we have resumed departures out of Heathrow following a short suspension.”

Police have not said whether the investigation confirmed a drone a drone actually flew near the airport.

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6:15 p.m.

The Metropolitan Police is investigating reports about the sighting of a drone near London’s Heathrow Airport.

The force said “officers based at Heathrow are currently investigating the reports with colleagues from (the) airport.”

It added it first received the reports at about 5:05 p.m. Tuesday.

Heathrow officials said shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday that flight departures have been suspended as a precaution.

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5:50 p.m.

London’s Heathrow Airport says flight departures have been suspended as a precaution after a reported drone sighting.

The suspension of takeoffs from Britain’s busiest airport was announced shortly before 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Airport officials say they are working closely with police to clarify the situation.

The report follows the pre-Christmas shutdown of London’s Gatwick Airport for parts of three consecutive days due to reported drone sightings.

The Gatwick closure led to more than 100,000 people being stranded or delayed, the worst ever drone-related disruption at an international airport.

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